Let Me Protect You
by BBQkitten
Summary: "You just lost your entire family and some of your closest friends and on top of that, you barely escaped with your own life. You can't be left alone right now, Ichi—it wouldn't be right."


**Disclaimer: Don't own it.**

It was a mistake thinking they could handle themselves. He should have been able to go back and helped them. If only he could have. There had been too many of them; whenever he defeated one two more would block his path when he tried to make it back to them.

How could he have been the only survivor?

He's asked himself this a lot these past six weeks as he recuperated in the fourth squad's barracks. Unohana-taichou told him that he barely survived himself. _I should've died with them_, he thinks miserably. _They're all dead—Yuzu, Karin, Chad, Inoue. I was supposed to protect them and I failed._

It was Kensei who found him lying in a pool of his own blood, unconscious and barely breathing. Shinji told him how the strong ninth captain almost fell to his knees when he saw Ichigo, bloody and broken, and how Kensei immediately picked him up and brought him to the fourth. If he hadn't, Ichigo would have surely died.

_I wish I had, _Ichigo thought solemnly, _I should have died with them._

A knock broke his silent mourning. At his invitation, the door opened to reveal a somber Shinji with an angry Hiyori behind him. "Do you mind if we come in Ichigo?"

Ichigo sent a glare his way, "What do you want, Hirako?"

Shinji pouted as he sat down next to Ichigo and crossed his arms, "I thought we were past all of this last name crap Ichigo?"

"I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupidity," Ichigo said tiredly, moving his head to stare out the window.

He gave the boy a pitying look and placed a gentle hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "Come on Ichigo, we're breaking you out of here."

Ichigo looked confused but nodded in compliance—he didn't want to stay in the fourth any longer than necessary. "Where are we going?"

Shinji put a helping hand around Ichigo's waist and began leading him towards the door as Hiyori trailed behind with Ichigo's zanpakuto. "My barracks, Unohana-taichou gave me permission to take you out of the fourth if I promised to look after you."

"Why would you have to look after me? I don't need looking after," Ichigo said crossly as he stopped and folded his arms in front of his chest.

Shinji paused in his steps and turned to fully face the substitute shinigami. "Ichigo," he said, keeping his voice quiet and calm as he spoke. "You just lost your entire family and some of your closest friends and on top of that, you barely escaped with your own life. You can't be left alone right now, Ichi—it wouldn't be right." Ichigo glowered and looked away from Shinji. The blonde sighed and grabbed Ichigo's chin and forced him to look in his direction. "Look, you have two choices: you can come live with me and let me take care of you, or you can stay here, in the fourth, and have a bunch of nameless squad four shinigami take care of you. Which will it be?"

It was silent and, for a moment, Shinji honestly thought Ichigo was going to choose the fourth over him but finally, Ichigo sighed and nodded to Shinji, "Lead the way."

The proceeding weeks passed in much of the same fashion for Ichigo; he'd wake up and go into the office with Shinji (as per Shinji's request). One of the vizards always came by to spend time with Ichigo while Shinji was busy taking care of his squad. Most of the time it was Kensei or Mashiro, sometimes it was both of them (which usually ended in a fight between the two of them and then getting kicked out by Hinamori-fukutaichou). Rukia was also a frequent visitor but no matter what she did she couldn't pull the young man out of the depression he had fallen into.

Shinji and Kensei walked up to the dozing teen and gently shook him awake. "Hey sleepyhead," Shinji said, keeping a smile on his face. "I've got a mission so Kensei is going to watch you in his barracks while I'm away. Alright?"

Ichigo huffed and stood up, "I can take care of myself; I don't need a babysitter."

Shinji frowned and put a hand on his shoulder, "As much as I'm sure you don't want to hear this I have to say it—right now, you are emotionally unstable and I don't want anything to happen to you while I'm gone. This way, I'll have some piece of mind knowing you're in Kensei's hands."

Ichigo's frown began to crumble, "Alright."

Shinji's smile returned, "Great," he gave the boy a pat on the back and walked out the door, "I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow. Be good."

"I'm not a kid!" Ichigo yelled angrily as Shinji closed the door, the blonde's laughter echoing down the hallway.

Kensei didn't try to make small talk as he lead Ichigo to his division. Ichigo however, seemed to be burning at the lips. He would open his mouth to speak before promptly shutting it and looking away from the curious captain next to him. After a few minutes of Ichigo's continuous failed attempts at speech Kensei took pity on the boy and spoke up.

"Do you have something you'd like to say, Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked down at his sandals. "I was just wondering if you were up for a spar. I know I've been pretty pathetic lately but I really need to let off some steam." He glanced up at Kensei's shocked face before hurriedly adding, "I mean, I know you're a captain and probably have no time for some stupid kid like me so I understand if you don't want to but I—"

"Ichigo," Kensei stopped and rested his hands on Ichigo's shoulders, forcing the boy to look at him. "I think we need to clear some things up. First off, I don't ever want to hear you call yourself stupid again. In all the time I've known you, you've never earned the right to call yourself stupid—so don't you dare start. Secondly, I don't want you putting words in my mouth any longer, understand?"

Ichigo nodded, wide-eyed as he stared up at Kensei who had a fierce, almost pained, look in his eyes.

"Good," He said, his smile returning. "Now let's go spar—I'm itching for a good fight." The pair walked to the ninth's outdoor training area and Kensei grabbed two bokkens.* "I don't think Unohana-taichou would appreciate seeing you back in the fourth so soon after you left."

Ichigo grabbed one of the bokkens from him and nodded, making Kensei frown. He wasn't used to this new, depressed Ichigo and he hoped this spar would help bring some of the old Ichigo back, if only for a little while.

The two began to fight, their swords clashing viciously as they attacked with all their might. Kensei knew he had the upper hand but he held back, allowing the grieving teen to release some of his pent-up emotions.

They took turns being offence until the men collapse on the ground out of sheer exhaustion. After a few moments of heavy breathing Kensei spoke up, "What made ya' snap out of it, Ichigo?"

Ichigo turned his head to look at the older captain out of the corner of his eye. "What do you mean by that?"

"What got you out of your funk? Why did you decide to fight again?"

Ichigo looks up at the sky somberly, "I… I decided that what happened in the World of the Living wasn't my fault… and that the only thing I could do now was become stronger so I can protect the people I still have. I couldn't protect my human family but I still have a family here and I can't let them get hurt too."

Kensei sat up and goes over to Ichigo making the boy sit up in confusion. The older male pulls the orange haired teen into a firm hug, "Who will protect you? You need to let others protect you sometimes too." Ichigo turned his head to stare at Kensei with unreadable eyes. "You can't do this alone, someone needs to protect you. Will you allow me the honor of protecting you?"

Ichigo's eyes widen and he slowly begins to nod his head. Kensei smiles happily and pulls the startled teen into his arms. He gazed down at Ichigo and gently pressed his lips to his forehead. "I'll always protect you, Ichigo."

**AN:**

_***Bokken—a wooden sword used for training purposes.**_

**There you have it. See? I told you guys I was going to post some oneshots. I don't know why I thought of Kensei for this one. I've always had a weird fascination with him though. I think it's his lecherous smile. **

**Was it good? Awful? I want to know. Please review and tell me what you thought of it. Also, if you have any requests feel free to ask (I'm open to almost anything).**


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